CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED AND TWENTY TWO – THE WAYS OF THE PACK

The next morning, Cassie woke early, unable to sleep. She slipped out of bed, careful not to wake Florian, and made her way to the kitchen in search of coffee. To her surprise, she found Maxwell already there, nursing a steaming mug. "Morning," he grunted. "Coffee's fresh." Cassie poured herself a cup, savoring the rich aroma. "Thank you. For the coffee, and... for everything else." Maxwell eyed her over his mug. "You held your own last night. Impressed a few people, I'd say." Cassie sighed. "It doesn't feel like enough. I feel like I'm constantly on the verge of offending someone." "You are," Maxwell said bluntly. "But that's not necessarily a bad thing. This world, it needs shaking up sometimes." Cassie raised an eyebrow. "Is that why you left? To shake things up?" Maxwell's expression darkened. "That's a story for another time, girl. For now, focus on learning. Observing. The more you understand, the better your chances." As the day progressed, Cassie found herself overwhel